Pokémon: The Adventures
by MudkipWriter
Summary: Essentially a novelisation/dramatisation of the different games, plus multiple recounts of past events that are not in the games (à la Pokémon Generations) to form one chronological (hopefully) novel. As of now these will not be posted in chronological order.
1. Prologue

**I DO NOT OWN POKéMON. POKéMON IS OWNED JOINTLY BY NINTENDO, CREATURES AND GAME FREAK.**

 **Pokémon: The Adventures Vol. 1**

 **Book I: Red and Blue**

* * *

 **Prologue**

 _July 5_ _th_ _, c. 2983 A.W. ***** , Guyana, South America_

The air was extremely hot and humid. Dr. Fuji and his team had been trekking through the dense forest for nearly six hours now, and everyone was exhausted.

A confused young assistant wandered away from his fellow explorers and almost crashed into a wall, well concealed by overgrown vines that twisted around on it.

Stunned for a moment, he soon realised that he was staring at something more than just a stone wall. Unbelieving, he hastily tore off some vines and scrutinised what was in front of him.

It appeared to have been smooth in the past, but was now roughened by thousands of years of the unforgiving elements. On it was a depiction of a hairless cat-like creature which had large eyes and a long tail. The wall was part of an ancient ruins.

"Hey! Doc! What d'ya make of this?" The assistant called out to his senior.

Dr. Fuji made his way to the stone wall. When he saw the artwork, his eyes lit up.

"This is what we will look for."

* * *

 _ ***A (not so) brief explanation of the year system that I will be using throughout the story:**_

 _ **The entire system is based AZ's line that became a meme in X and Y:**_

 _ **"It's been 3000 years..."**_

 _ **Thus, the Kalos War is 0 A.W. (After War) and the events of X and Y takes place exactly in 3000 A.W.**_

 _ **The rest of the years fall into place quite easily with simple calculation.**_

 _ **(NB) 2983 A.W. Is an approximation.**_


	2. Chapter 1 - Red of Pallet Town

**Chapter 1 – Red of Pallet Town**

 _9th October 2992 A.W., Pallet Town, Kanto Region_

" _Aaannnddd… Agatha's Gengar uses Counter! Ooh, Nidorino gracefully avoids it! Our young challenger, Samuel Oak, calls Nidorino to counter with Poison Sting – "_

" _Hello there! Welcome to the world of Pokémon! My name is Oak! People call me the Pokémon Prof! This world is inhabited by creatures called Pokémon!"_

"Not again, Mom! Please don't change the channel! I want to watch! Just when it was getting exciting, too…" Red, being the 11-year-old boy that he was, scrambled up from the floor and whined. He had been watching a particularly exciting Pokémon battle from many years ago, when his mother walked in and changed the channel.

"Red, tomorrow's your first day as a Pokémon Trainer and you're getting your first Pokémon! It's getting late! You'll need to learn more about Pokémon! You should watch this instead! I'll come back later to put you to bed, alright?"

" _Okay, Mom..."_

" _Click_!" The door shut.

Red sighed. Waiting until his mother was well out of earshot, he changed the channel back to the battle between young Professor Oak and Agatha.

 _"What does Oak call into the battle? Just a Jigglypuff? Will it be able to take on Agatha's other Gengar? …Wow! Gengar leads with another masterful Counter! By an amazing stroke of luck, Jigglypuff dodges it! Jigglypuff jumps into the air to deal a flying Psychic!"_

" _It's super effective! Gengar looks a bit groggy there… He faints! The crowd goes WILD for Oak! They're chanting his name now!"_

 _"That's it! Oak is now the 1_ _st_ _Indigo League Champion! WOW! WHAT AN EXCITING BATTLE THAT WAS!"_ Satisfied, Red turned off the television and jumped onto his bed. No sooner had he done this than his mother walked in.

Patting his soft black hair, Red's mother softly said, "I know you're excited that you are getting your first Pokémon, but get some rest, okay?" She tucked Red into bed. "Goodnight, mom," he said. "Goodnight, Red."

Red lay down and tried to focus on his plans for tomorrow. However, exhaustion soon got to him, and he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 2 - The Neighbours

**Chapter 2 – The Neighbours**

"Ci-caw! Ci-caw!" Red was rudely interrupted by the loud cries of a Pidgey that had landed on his windowsill.

"Shoo! Go away!" He sat up, annoyed for a moment. Slowly, it dawned on him what day it was.

"Today's the day!" Red shouted excitedly.

After Red changed into his red jacket and baggy blue jeans, he grabbed his trusty red cap and rushed downstairs, almost falling down in the process. He saw that his mom was up already.

"Wait, Red, I left something in the PC for you! I went all the way to Pewter to get it, and that was hard work! Don't forget to take it!"

Hearing this, Red dashed back up the stairs and checked his PC for the item. It was a potion.

Red retrieved the shiny, brand new spray botle from the PC and said a word of thanks to his mother.

"Right. You're ready now! All boys leave home someday. It said so on TV, remember? Professor Oak, next door, is looking for you." Red's mother said.

"Okay Mom," Red replied while nodding his head. After a quick bowl of cereal in silence, Red prepared to leave.

"Be careful!" Red's mother called out.

"I will!" Red dashed out of his house, full of anticipation.

* * *

Unbeknownst to him, his mother had a glistening tear in her eye. She opened the cupboard that she had told Red never to touch and peered inside, taking out an old photo frame.

In the photo, a handsome man was standing proud and tall beside her. She was carrying tiny Red in her arms, who was just a baby.

"Look, honey! Our boy… He's grown so big… He's setting out on his own Pokémon journey, just like you!"

Red's mother wiped the tear off her face and wistfully repeated in her heart, "Just like you…"

* * *

Stepping out of the door, Red breathed deeply. Then, he strode purposefully towards Blue's house, just next door.

Blue was a boy the same age as Red. He lived with his grandfather, Professor Oak, and his older sister, Daisy. Red and Blue used to be best buddies, but as they got older they drifted further apart. Recently, Blue had even begun to view Red as a rival, apparently because they were the same age and height.

"Who's that?" Instead of Blue's voice, a familiar, gentler voice rang out. It was Daisy.

"It's Red here!" Red cheerfully replied.

"Oh, it's you! Hi Red! Do come in for tea!" With a click, Daisy opened the door. Daisy was much less of a bully than her younger brother. Red had noticed on several occasions that Daisy could make friends with Pokémon easily.

Red sat down. Looking around, he asked, "Wait, where's Blue? Why isn't he eating breakfast?"

While skilfully pouring tea from a teacup, Daisy, with a hint of approval, answered, "Blue is out at Grandpa's lab. He woke up extra early to receive his Pokémon today. I've never seen him so determined..."

"Oh. He's there early... He probably got his Pokémon already... Hmm…" Red was deep in thought.

Suddenly, Red exclaimed, "Sorry Daisy! I need to go! I'm very late!" Red hastily gulped down his scalding tea, which stung his throat. He took deep breaths, composed himself and shot out of The house like a bullet.

Red rushed to Professor Oak's lab. He burst through its doors. However, to his disappointment, Professor Oak was not in his lab. The only people in the lab were his three astute laboratory assistants. In the distance, standing rather impatiently, was Blue.

"Yo! Red! You're finally here!" Blue drawled.

"Blue..." Red said through gritted teeth.

"I always knew you were a bit slow, Red, but why are you so late?" Blue teased, chuckling. "Anyhow, Gramps isn't around! I don't know where he is!"

Disappointed, Red turned and walked out of the lab. "Where could Professor Oak be?" Red thought, scratching his head. Red gazed at the entrance of Route 1. He could just make out the tall grass.

Red decided that he would set out without Professor Oak anyway. He was sure that there wouldn't be any Pokémon that were too strong to pose a danger to him.

Feeling confident, Red strode to the edge of the tall grass. His legs became jelly as he realised that he was truly starting on his journey. His very own Pokémon legend was about to unfold.

"Here goes nothing…"


	4. Chapter 3 - Which Will You Choose?

**Chapter 3 – Which Will You Choose?**

"Hey! Wait! Don't go out! It's unsafe! Wild Pokémon live in tall grass!" Professor Oak materialised out of nowhere.

Professor Oak was a stout middle-aged man of 47 (he had Blue's dad when he was very young). His hair, once dark brown, had been reduced to a dull grey, styled to the right. Professor Oak used to be the Champion of the Indigo League but was now just a shell of his former self. Due to his relative solitude, he had a slightly failing memory.

Red stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. Where had Professor Oak been all this while? He opened his mouth to ask the burning question, but was hastily interrupted by the Professor.

"If you were wondering where I was, I was out here seeing if there were any wild Pokémon outside the boundaries of Pallet Town and Route 1. I've heard rumours of a mysterious Pokémon hiding there. Unfortunately, it seems to be just that, a rumour..." Professor Oak raised a finger and admitted sheepishly.

"If you want to step into the tall grass like that, you need your own Pokémon for your protection. I know! Here, come with me!" Professor Oak headed towards the lab.

Dutifully, Red followed.

* * *

In the lab, Blue was still there. It seemed like he was on the verge of leaving.

"Gramps! I'm fed up with waiting! I want to have my Pokémon now!" Blue exclaimed.

"Blue? Let me think…" Professor Oak looked confused for a moment. "Oh, that's right. I told you to come! Just wait!"

Blue was taken aback. "But…"

Ignoring him, Professor Oak turned to Red. "Here, Red! There are 3 Pokémon here!"

Now it was Red's turn to be confused. "Wait, Professor Oak, where are they?"

Blue comically fell, wheezing and clutching at his chest.

Professor Oak just smiled and said, "Haha! They are inside the Poké Balls. When I was young, I was a serious Pokémon trainer! In my old age, I have only 3 left, but you can have one! Choose!"

Impatiently, Blue asked, "Hey! Gramps! What about me?"

Professor Oak suddenly became stern. His thick black eyebrows dipped to form a 'V' shape. "Be patient, Blue!"

Blue cast a sly look at Red and said aloud, "Heh, I don't need to be greedy like you! Go ahead and choose, Red!"

 _"What's he playing at?"_ Red thought, flustered.

"Fine, I'll go first." Red resignedly said, taking in the three brand new Poké Balls, half red and half white, on the table.

* * *

Professor Oak pointed to the leftmost Poké Ball and recited, "This is **Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon**." Red looked at an image of an bright orange lizard Pokémon that was on a card in front of the Poké Ball. It stood on its two hind feet. Curiously, the tip of its tail seemed to be on fire. Below the image was Charmander's height and weight as well as a short paragraph describing it:

 _Obviously prefers hot places. When it rains, steam is said to spout from the tip of its tail._

* * *

"The next one is **Squirtle, the TinyTurtle Pokémon**." Looking at the next card, Red saw that Squirtle was a light blue turtle with a ruddy red shell. It sported a bushy tail that resembled a squirrel's and walked on its stubby legs.

 _After birth, its back swells and hardens into a shell. Powerfully sprays foam from its mouth._

* * *

"Finally, **Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokémon**." Bulbasaur was a four-legged dinosaur-like creature. Leaf green and with wide eyes, its most distinct feature was the large onion-like bulb growing on its back.

 _A strange seed was planted on its back at birth. The plant sprouts and grows with this Pokémon._

* * *

Red felt that Bulbasaur looked cute and had the impulse to choose it. However, he decided that he would not go for looks alone. After weighing all the options, He finally made a decision.

"So! You want the plant Pokémon, Bulbasaur?" Professor Oak asked.

"Yes!" Red confirmed.

Professor Oak handed the Poké Ball over to Red and remarked, "This Pokémon is really energetic!"

"Why did you take so long to choose? I'll take this one then!" Blue triumphantly walked over to grab a Poké Ball and pat Red on his back, a little too hard. Red noticed that Blue had picked Charmander.

"Heh, my Pokémon looks a lot stronger." Blue was acting cocky again.

Now that Red had received his Pokémon, he could not _wait_ to get out and explore the region with his newfound friend, Bulbasaur. He eagerly made for the exit.

Unfortunately, as he was about to leave, Blue abruptly declared, "Wait, Red! Let's check out our Pokémon! Come on, I'll take you on!"

With those words, Red had started his very first Pokémon Battle.


	5. Chapter 4 - Trainer Battle!

**Chapter 4 – Trainer Battle!**

Red threw his Poké Ball, and Bulbasaur popped out. It looked exactly like the one in the picture earlier. Blue released Charmander as well. Both sides glared at each other competitively.

By doing a quick mental calculation, Red realised that Bulbasaur, a grass type, was weak against Charmander, a fire type.

Finally, Blue's intent was clear. He had waited for Red to pick his Pokémon first so that he could have the Pokémon that was effective against Red's.

Looking at Blue straight in the eye, Red muttered, "So that's what you were up to..." The corner of Blue's lips curved upwards into a smug smile.

Red sighed. " _Well, Blue's done his homework,_ " he thought.

Without any hesitation, Blue roared, "Charmander, use Growl!"

It was then that Red realised that he did not know any of Bulbasaur's moves.

Red racked his brains for a move that he had seen before on TV. He thought back to that epic battle he saw yesterday.

Before he could stop himself, the words came out of his mouth.

"Bulbasaur! Use Tackle!"

To Red's horror, Bulbasaur did not budge.

 _"Oh no,"_ Red thought. _"That's done it. Bulbasaur probably doesn't even_ know _how to tackle. I'm done for."_

Red anxiously watched for what Charmander would do.

It let out a cute growl. Bulbasaur looked softened and reluctant to attack.

"Hah, your Pokémon is slow just like you!" Blue taunted.

Red's heart skipped a beat.

Then, to his surprise, Bulbasaur full-body tackled Charmander. Charmander was knocked down, but unfortunately, it looked like it had not taken much damage.

For the next few minutes, Charmander and Bulbasaur just exchanged scratches and tackles. After it's sixth Tackle, Bulbasaur looked like it could not continue. It was trembling badly, and its stubby legs almost gave way under its weight. Charmander, however was still standing strong. Anxious, Red involuntarily felt through his bag. He noticed a spray bottle of purple liquid.

Red had been so caught up in the day's events that he forgot about it. Remembering that it was a Potion, Red whipped the bottle out and sprayed its contents at Bulbasaur. Instantly, Bulbasaur got up on its feet again.

"Guguh Buh!" Bulbasaur roared. Red cheered.

Red sent a silent prayer of thanks to his Mom.

With the extra energy, Bulbasaur easily defeated Charmander.

When the battle ended, Bulbasaur looked really confident and excited. Professor Oak mentioned from behind Blue that Bulbasaur had grown to level 6, which meant that Bulbasaur had grown stronger. The professor had been taking down notes on a clipboard this whole time. Red whooped again and almost laughed at Blue, but realised it was mean.

Blue grimaced. "WHAT? Unbelievable! I picked the wrong Pokémon! Charmander, return!" he exclaimed. "Okay! I'll make my Pokémon fight to toughen it up! Red! Gramps! _Smell you later!_ " That was his 'catchphrase' that he had apparently found in a book. Red always found it a little disgusting.

With that, Blue pompously stomped out of the lab.

"That Blue. When will he _ever_ learn?" Professor Oak shook his head.

Professor Oak turned to Red, smiled and said, "Well, Red, raise your young Pokémon by making it fight!"

"Thanks, Professor Oak! I'll set off for the next town right now!" Red cheerfully waved goodbye and skipped out of Professor Oak's lab. That battle had been energising! He paced towards Route 1 and approached the patch of grass that he had almost entered before Professor Oak stopped him. This was the _real_ start of his Pokémon journey.

"Here goes nothing..." Red carefully stepped into the tall grass.

* * *

 _ **Author's note:**_

 _ **To the two people that are currently following this fic, I'm so sorry for not updating! I almost gave up on it but recently decided to start writing again as I have more time on my hands.**_

 _ **MudkipWriter**_


	6. Chapter 5 – First Route

**Chapter 5 – First Route**

The grass rustled as Red slowly shuffled his feet through the foliage. Pokémon were detecting the disturbances and scampering away.

Soon, Red had left Pallet Town and could see the whole of Route 1. The route was a short winding path, bounded by metal fences and trees. It was almost always devoid of any trainers, given how remote Pallet Town actually was.

Not today, though. Red immediately noticed a bored young man pacing around on the ledge in front of him. He decided to talk to him, if only to find out why he was there. He would have to walk through a patch of tall grass, though. Recalling what Professor Oak had told him, he sighed.

" _I might as well encounter some Pokémon… What will it be?"_

The grass rustled again. Out of the corner of his eye, Red saw a flash of purple.

A small purple rat with huge front teeth scurried into a clearing and hissed at Red. It was a Rattata!

Red immediately brought out Bulbasaur, who saw the new Pokémon and growled softly. Of course, the rat was faster, and quickly Tackled the sturdy 'saur. Luckily, Rattata was light enough that Bulbasaur was able to hold its ground.

To lower the Pokémon's attack, Red asked Bulbasaur to Growl at it. After exchanging a few Tackles, the Rattata was defeated. It weakly collapsed onto the ground.

"Yes!" Red pumped his fist in the air. Bulbasaur gained some experience, but did not level up like after the battle with Blue.

Red climbed up the ledge and walked up to the young man, who was now staring at the tree in front of him.

Lightly tapping him on the shoulder, Red introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Red from Pallet Town. What are you doing here?"

"Hi! I work at a Pokémon Mart. It's a convenient shop, so please visit us in Viridian City." The man paused. "I know, I'll give you a sample!" He smiled.

"Okay, I'll gladly accept it!" Red cheerfully agreed.

"Here you go! ... Thanks a lot! Route 1 doesn't exactly have many trainers, and you're the first one that accepted my sample! Just now, a spiky-haired boy came over. When I told him that I work at a Pokémon Mart, he rudely refused. Thanks again!" The worker seemed really grateful for Red's acceptance of the potion.

"No problem!" Red winked.

When Red was out of the man's sight, he shook his head at Blue's audacity. Looking ahead, he found that he was only one third of the way into the route. A long way to go… He picked up his pace and broke into a brisk walk.

Weirdly, no wild Pokémon were appearing. Without thinking, Red started whistling a tune that he had heard on a kid's TV program. If he remembered correctly, it was a children's nursery rhyme. The melody was simple but quite catchy. It helped him get by the rest of the walk and ignore the slight strain in his feet.

Out of nowhere, something had hit Red squarely in the face. (He was immediately reminded of the time when Blue threw a ball at his face). However, the 'ball' had felt quite… soft and feathery?

Disoriented, Red rubbed his face and looked around for the strange object, only to find that it was the Pokémon that had so rudely woke him up in the morning.

"Pidgey! Red exclaimed. Red summoned Bulbasaur once more, who looked slightly drained, but still eager to battle.

Like with the Rattata, Red made sure that Bulbasaur Growled first before starting the tackles. However, the Pidgey could kick sand into Bulbasaur's eyes. The chubby lizard's vision was blurred, and it became confused. It missed a few tackles, and as Pidgey kept kicking up sand, the battle turned into a desperate struggle to even land a hit on the agile bird.

After a few minutes, Bulbasaur was weak, confused and annoyed. That was when Red knew that he had to use the potion. He fished it out of his bag and sprayed. Bulbasaur, revitalised, was able to hang on long enough to defeat Pidgey.

After the battle, Bulbasaur was positively glowing with energy! Then, without warning, Bulbasaur shot a few seeds onto the ground, which immediately started growing. Bulbasaur had learnt a new move! Red jumped for joy.

* * *

 _ **Expect weekly updates :)**_


	7. Chapter 6 - Oak's Parcel

**Chapter 6 – Oak's Parcel**

Viridian City was just as Red remembered it. His mom had brought him to a restaurant here for his tenth birthday just last year. He also used to go to the Trainers' School here with Blue. It was what got both of them interested in being a trainer in the first place.

Red glanced at the restaurant, _Evergreen Eatery_. He realised that he was still going to have to eat. In his excitement, he had not even remembered that. _"Hm… it's still morning, but I might stick around for lunch…"_

Red took in everything, from the small pond teeming with fish to the blue friendly-looking Poké Mart.

He had intended to head straight for the gym. However, he remembered the Poké Mart worker's words and his grateful look. Feeling sorry for him, Red decided to visit the Poké Mart first.

Once inside, Red gasped. This was his first time in a Poké Mart, and it was amazing. He had never seen so many Pokémon related merchandise and items ever in his life. There were rows and rows of shelves, each selling unique items like Poké Balls and Poké Dolls… Red felt giddy. He wanted to buy them all.

The clerk saw him standing there, awestruck, and seemed to recognise him.

"Hey! You came from Pallet Town?"

Red stumbled his way to the counter. "Uh… Yeah. Why?"

"You know Professor Oak, right? His order came in. Will you take it to him?" The clerk showed Red a small parcel wrapped in brown paper. There was a big red card hastily pasted on that read:

 _Special Delivery for Professor Oak_

 _Address: Pallet Town, Kanto_

"Okay!" Red took the parcel, which was not very heavy.

"Thanks! Say 'hi' to Professor Oak for me. I'm a big fan!"

"You're welcome! I will!" Red was already halfway out of the door.

* * *

Back on Route 1, Red saw a young trainer wandering around in the big patch of tall grass. Red introduced himself.

The trainer gave Red a piece of advice that would certainly prove useful later on. "Hi! You must be a new trainer, like me! Lemme give you a tip. See those ledges along the road? It's a bit scary, but you can jump from them. You can get back to Pallet Town quicker that way," he helpfully explained.

Red was in a hurry to get back. Nodding his thanks, Red leapt down all the ledges (carefully at first) until he reached Pallet Town. He burst into Professor Oak's lab.

When the Professor saw Red, he smiled. "Oh, Red! How is my old Pokémon?"

Red gave Bulbasaur's Poké Ball to Professor Oak to examine. The ball was put into a strange machine with lots of weird wires sticking out of it.

Professor Oak read some data on the machine's display. "Well, it seems to like you a lot. You must be talented as a Pokémon trainer!" He concluded.

"Professor Oak, I brought something for you!" Red exclaimed.

"What? You have something for me?"

Red passed the brown parcel to the Professor. He squinted at the small lettering on the card.

"Ah! This is the custom Poké Ball I ordered! Thank you!" Professor Oak grinned. Then, suddenly -

" _ **CRASH!**_ " Blue had run into the lab, knocking into one of the bookshelves and sending a dozen books tumbling down at once. Seeing this, one of the aides sighed and quickly gathered up the books strewn across the floor.

Blue, who was panting, ran up to them. "Gramps! What did you call me for?"

Professor Oak answered, "Oh right! I have a request for you two. On the desk there is my invention, Pokédex! It automatically records data on Pokémon you've seen or caught! It's a high-tech encyclopedia!"

Red was immediately enraptured by how such a small device could hold so much information. Even the most modern computers (for that age) were relatively big and clunky.

Professor Oak grabbed two of the shiny new Pokédexes and held them out for the boys to take.

"Red and Blue! Take these with you!"

"Really?" Red was shocked. "Professor Oak, thank you, it's such an honour!"

Professor Oak shook his head. "To make a complete guide on all the Pokémon in the world… That was my dream! But, I'm too old! I can't do it! So, I want _you two_ to fulfill my dream for me! Get moving, you two! This is a great undertaking in Pokémon history!"

Blue immediately took up the challenge. "Alright Gramps! Leave it all to me! Red, I hate to say it, but I don't need you!"

After pausing for a few seconds in mock thought, he sneakily added, "I know! I'll borrow a Town Map from my sis! I'll tell her not to lend you one, Red! Hahaha!"

While he ran out of the lab, Blue was still laughing his head off at his 'evil plan'. Red, however, was not worried. He knew that Daisy would never be as mean as her brother. As long as he asked nicely, she would still give him a Town Map. So, after he thanked the Professor again, he headed straight to their house.

"Blue? What is it? Did you forget to pack more underwear again?" The soft, familiar voice rang out. Red noticed that Daisy was serenely sipping a cup of tea.

When she saw Red, she put down her cup and smiled. "Oh, hi, Red! What do you want?"

"Professor Oak asked me to help fill out his new Pokédex."

"Grandpa asked you to run an errand? Here, this will help you! If you ever get lost, use the Town Map to find out where you are." Daisy produced a Town Map out of nowhere, as though she had several copies just lying within arm's reach.

"Thanks, Daisy!" Red sometimes wondered why Blue was the way he was. The rest of his family was so kind…

* * *

Red found himself on Route 1 yet again. Red tried out the functions of the Pokédex. He purposely looked for Rattata and Pidgey again. Each time he heard a satisfying 'beep' that played as the Pokédex recorded information. Once safely out of the tall grass, Red switched the Pokédex on and was greeted with a simple interface. A box in the top right read:

* * *

SEEN  
4

OWN  
1

* * *

The numbers were right; Red had encountered 4 Pokémon: Charmander, Rattata, Pidgey and Bulbasaur, which he owned. He scrolled down, but the last entry was Rattata's. At first he thought it was a glitch, but then he realised that he just had not seen enough Pokémon yet. Red knew that there had to be more than just 19 Pokémon, there were more than a hundred. He clicked on Rattata's data, but the only information the Pokédex had was its cry, which was recorded during the battle.

Red sighed. He had a long way to go…


	8. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

 _November 3_ _rd_ _, 2992 A.W., Route 22, Kanto Region_

Giovanni was silently heading towards the border when he heard a young, but surprisingly harsh voice yell behind him.

"Father!"

 _Silver._

"Silver, now is not the time." Giovanni sternly warned.

"Where are you going?" The small boy demanded.

"Interpol is onto me." The Rocket Boss replied in a bizarrely matter-of-fact way, as if that would explain everything to his eight-year-old son.

Silver was indignant. "You told me… you were the number one in the world! Are you gonna quit? What are you going to do now?"

Giovanni turned around and stared into the eyes of his son. Silver had inherited his father's cold, hardened features but his hair was scarlet red, something he got from his mother.

He was drowning in his own thoughts. It was the first time he had felt truly weak and helpless, in a long time. He knew that if his grunts also knew what he was about to do, they would have the very same questions on their lips. He really did not know the answer to any of them, himself.

After a long pause, he finally managed a response. "...One must acknowledge one's defeat before he can move on…" Giovanni made sure that his last words to his son would be significant. It would be something, if the only thing, that Silver ever learnt from his father.

"I will go solo… for now… So that one day I will form a stronger organization!" Giovanni knew he was making an empty promise. Once the rest of Team Rocket got wind of their disbanding, they would likely see Giovanni as a coward.

"What aspect of you was number one? Gathering so many only to be defeated by a mere child!" Though he was only eight, Silver did not consider himself a 'child'. Giovanni secretly agreed; he was quite bright for his age, something that Giovanni hoped would bring him success one day in the future...

Giovanni continued to placate Silver. "Putting together the potential of many is how you produce a huge power... That's what an organization is... That's the strength of an organization! I failed… to make the best use of my subordinates' potential...! But you shall witness one day the revival of me and my Team Rocket!"

Silver flew into a rage at Giovanni's cryptic speech. He ran up to his father and glared defiantly into his face. "I don't understand you! You don't make any sense!"

Giovanni was stunned for words. He really had nothing else to say.

But something in Silver's glare broke him, and he did. He wanted to tell his son how sorry he was for failing Team Rocket, for failing Ariana, for failing him. He wanted to tell his son how much his father loved him. He wanted to hug and kiss his son as a last goodbye. He knew, sadly, that in reality, Silver would never be able to allow such a thing to happen; all that he knew was eight year's worth of solid neglect.

Giovanni turned towards the League Reception gate once again. He knew that he would never be able to turn back.

"…One day, you will understand."

He walked off.

Silver screamed.

"I don't want to understand you! I will never become someone like you. A coward when you're alone and acting like a tyrant when you're in front of other cowards! I will become strong! I will become a stronger man all by myself!"

Silver stepped forward. **"All by myself!"**

A tear slid down both their faces.

* * *

 _About a week later_

"Huh! Huh!" puffing and panting, Red clambered out of the cave. "Whoo… it's cold here…" Tugging his jacket, he set his sights on the land bridge and the platform before him. Silently, he walked slowly towards where he would be training for… How long? He really didn't know. Exhausted, he collapsed on the ground.

* * *

 ** _I'm not dead (yet)! COVID has given me so much more free time that I found myself picking this up again. Also I literally cannot write chronologically anymore please forgive me :/_**


End file.
